Zurich sank from No. 1 to No. 7 on the list, declining a whopping 39 percentage points from last year due to a weakening Swiss franc. Geneva also didn't fare well, seeing a steep decline from a No. 3 ranking in 2012 to barely making the list at No. 10 this year. The survey calculates cost of living based on prices for products and services, including food, clothing, rent and transportation. Each cost-of-living index is set in relation to New York's, which is fixed at a base of 100.